Foreign movies have subtitles, operas have Supertitles. Rather than scrolling along the bottom of a movie screen, supertitles are displayed at the top of a stage, so that those of us not fluent in the traditional opera languages of German, French, Russian and - in the case of L.A. Opera's opening show for 2009-2010 - Italian, can follow along.
Richard and I had the unique opportunity to attend the L.A. Opera's Season Opening Gala Saturday and enjoy The Elixir of Love, L'Elisir D'Amore. Those intimate with Richard and me know we are far more likely to spend Saturday's at college football games than operas - but remember that our motto for our time on the West Coast is "New and Different." And WOW did this qualify. (Besides, UCLA had already beat Tennessee.)
Richard donned a tuxedo and even tried a mushroom cannoli at the Opera Gala....we really are expanding our horizons beyond our previous boundries. (Yes, he now OWNS a tuxedo...can ballroom dancing lessons be far behind?)
From a novelty perspective, our experience was fabulous. We had an extremely enjoyable evening and while I don't think we'll be buying season tickets to the opera, I will share with you what I learned as a first-time opera-goer.
1. L'Elisir D'Amore, The Elixir of Love, is apparently a great production for your first one. "It's a comedy and it's short" (a mere 2:45 with intermission!) was an oft-repeated phrase from those in the know.
2. If you are a single guy interested in an older woman....get a ticket to this event! There were packs of seemingly affulent cougars roaming the halls. One women from a not-to-be-divulged-brand-name-family had seemingly pulled out every piece of Dolce & Gabbana jewelry she owned to showcase at once. No matter that it didn't match. And nothing says "I'm hot" more than a designer dress cut to show off the pacemaker surgery scar.
3. Speaking of outfits.....even if opera is not your idea of a fun Saturday night....you might go by just to see the patrons show up for the pre-gala cocktail party. I think some people thought this was a costume ball. (And I thought the Miami Vice-style-white-pants-color-jacket-combo tux had ended with my prom...apparently I was wrong.) Fortunately for tourists, the gala puts these outfits on display with a long red carpet walk into an outdoor cocktail party with only stantions between us and the cameras off the local tour bus. (For the record, Richard looked amazing walking the carpet in his tuxedo.)
4. Oh...you're wondering about the show itself? L.A. is NEVER about the main event when a red carpet is involved! The entire storyline is printed in the program (or found online) which is to aid in your understanding. It does, however, also spoil the ending and erase the opportunity for rousing speculative discussion during the intermission....will our hero get the girl? Will the heroine find her heart? Who dies at the end? How much longer is this...are we really staying for the whole thing? (Oh...just kidding...)
5. Spoiler Alert.....the "Elixir of Love" is a cheap bordeaux. (I could have told you that!)
6. However good a short comedy might be, you must remember that an opera is intended to be a showcase for amazing voices, not necessarily a showcase of acting talent or intricate plot lines. If you want 2 hours and 45 minuts of intellectual comedy, go rent Gross Pointe Blanke and watch and episode of The Daily Show.
7. If you decide to go to an opera, educate yourself as to quality of voice so to enhance your experience - and look like you have experience. I clearly lack the understand/appreciation of tenors/sopranos/falsettos to know when I was hearing something that should wow me. This became grossly apparent when a character would stop singing and the theater would explode in wild applause all around me, and I would be caught looking like I had just woken up. I wish I had a DVR and could rewind to hear what I had inadvertantly missed. But for the novice - when everyone else applauds...you'd best go along...lest you stick out!
8. They serve alcohol before the opera....during intermission...and after the show. I'm not saying you need a drink to enjoy opera...but you feel free to draw your own inference.
9. The supertitles are displayed at the top of the stage. They are NOT intended to be a full, literal translation. They reminded me of a Kung Fu movie dubbed into English. The words would say "she loves me" and the guy would sing for 2 minutes. But maybe that's a lot of words in Italian, what do I know?
10. The bows for the cast after a performance last almost as long as the second act. Seriously. And the ovations rival Catholic Mass aerobics.
11. Placido Domingo is an amazing singer.....and a long talker. When he got up to speak at the post-performance gala, a woman at our table informed us we should sit back and relax....he goes on and on and on and on.....bring your iPod.
So, we continue to survive L.A. - tuxedos and all. Even though Placido is still at the podium talking....
